Hospitality & Engagement Associate (Part-time)

Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 17,000 - 28,000; Part time

Job summary

The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden is seeking a part-time Hospitality & Engagement Associate to help create welcoming, seamless experiences for visitors and guests. This role supports admissions, memberships, education programs, events, and other visitor-facing activities in a cross-trained Hospitality Operations team.

Ideal candidates are friendly, dependable, adaptable, and comfortable in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Qualifications

• No specific degree or prior professional experience is required.
• Customer service, hospitality, retail, or other visitor-facing experience is helpful, but training will be provided.

Responsibilities

• Welcome visitors and provide information about exhibits, memberships, and events.
• Process admissions, memberships, program registrations, event tickets, and retail sales using the POS system.
• Maintain a welcoming, safe visitor environment and communicate garden policies.
• Support Garden Shop operations including inventory, pricing, and merchandising.
• Assist with private event tours, setup/teardown, and front-of-house operations.
• Lead or assist with tours and engagement activities after training.

Skills

Customer service

Hospitality

Retail

Visitor-facing experience

Communication skills

Tools

Point-of-sale system

Job description

The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden is seeking a part-time Hospitality & Engagement Associate to help create welcoming, seamless experiences for visitors and guests. As a flexible, cross-trained member of the Hospitality Operations team, this position supports admissions and retail, educational programs, public and private events, and other visitor-facing activities.

The ideal candidate is friendly, dependable, adaptable, and comfortable working in a collaborative, fast-paced environment. No specific degree or prior professional experience is required. Customer service, hospitality, retail, or other visitor-facing experience is helpful, but training will be provided.

This part-time position requires evening, weekend, and holiday availability.

The Hospitality & Engagement Associate works across multiple areas of the Botanical Garden and performs the following responsibilities, along with other duties as assigned.

Visitor Experience & Hospitality:

• Welcome visitors and provide friendly, accurate information about the Botanical Garden, including orientation and wayfinding, exhibits, memberships, educational opportunities, and other amenities. Promote opportunities that deepen visitor engagement, including membership, programs, signature events, and other Garden experiences.
• Process admissions, memberships, program registrations, event tickets, and retail sales using the point-of-sale system; handle cash and other forms of payment accurately and follow established opening, closing, and cash-handling procedures.
• Help maintain a welcoming, safe, and well-prepared visitor environment by communicating Garden etiquette, photography guidelines, and other organizational policies and seeking assistance when concerns require escalation.
• Support Garden Shop operations as needed, including receiving and unpacking merchandise, entering items into the inventory system, pricing, stocking, merchandising, and maintaining an organized retail environment.

Private Event & Venue Support:

• Support event venue tours and other client visits by welcoming prospective clients, providing basic information, and connecting visitors with the appropriate team member when needed.
• Assist with private event wayfinding, event setup and teardown, room readiness, and routine common space cleanliness and restocking.
• Provide responsive, visitor-centered support during private events and collaborate with team members to help deliver a high-quality event experience.

Education & Public Engagement:

• After appropriate training, lead or assist with formal and informal tours, programs, and engagement activities for audiences of varied ages and abilities.
• Process walk-up registrations, support self-guided and drop-in activities, assist volunteers and staff, prepare and maintain program materials, and provide other operational support as needed.

Public Events:

• Support back-of-house event production, which may include setup and teardown, installation support, maintaining event areas, preparing materials, and organizing or inventorying supplies.
• Support front-of-house event operations by welcoming visitors, processing tickets, providing wayfinding and event information, monitoring assigned areas, and assisting with other visitor needs.

General Support:

• Help keep visitor-facing spaces clean, organized, fully stocked, and safe; identify concerns and communicate them promptly to the appropriate staff member.
• Demonstrate hospitality, adaptability, curiosity, and professionalism when working with visitors, volunteers, vendors, and colleagues.
• Anticipate and respond promptly to visitor and operations needs while following established procedures and seeking guidance when needed.
• Assist with opening and securing assigned areas of the campus, including end-of-day closing responsibilities.
• Participate in required training and meetings to maintain knowledge of Botanical Garden initiatives and hospitality expectations.